Motor-vehicle.



.Patend Jan. 14, 1919.`

' M. mams. MOTOR VEHICLE APPLpmoN msu am. 7. |915.

Snom/woz;

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

II, www?. MOTOR VEHICLF APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I. |915.

HHLTN' TEBBETTS, 0F DETRQT, MICHIGAN, IASSIG'NOR T0 PACKARD MOYEN@ ltll.

CMPAJHY, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AUORPORATINF MICHGW'.

Moronvnnicnn.

` amenacen :nea september e teit. serial 1ra-sacas.

To all whom t may concern.' Be it lrnown that l, Mr nron Tin'rrs, a citizenof the United States, and resident of Detroit, Viayne county, State oli' Michigan,

t have invented certain new` and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehicles, of which the following 1s a spec1ficat1on.

This invent'on relates to motor vehicles,V

lli

tion Wheels are slightly inclined With a` sim ple and eiiicient form of dierential and driving mechanism.

lhese and other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings which form a part hereof, and in which Figure l is a vertical section and part eleI :to vation Voit a vehicle aide embodying the in-` vention; Fig. 2 'is aver-tical section substantially lon the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section substantially on so the line 3--3 oi Fig. 1; and

Fig. e is a vertical section and parl-elevation of an axle embodying another form of the invention. K

lteterringto the form of the invention 'to shown in Figs. 1, 2 'and 3, lrepresents a huilt-up supporting axle of a motor vehicle,

. the central part 11 formingr an enlargement or. casing for the differential gear support .12, and the` outer ends 13 forming steering le knuckles or spindles, pivoted to the'rnanr perl', oi the axle as at 14. These pivots 1 4 are slightly inclined to the vertical, as 1sA the usual practice 1n steering knuckles of the p nen-driving type, and the spindle portions to l of the knuckles 13 4are also at a slight anglie to the horizontal, so that, the Wheels 16 which are mounted on the bearingsl? on said spindles l5 are also slightly inclined to the vertical but in the reverse direction from no` the inclination of the pivots 14C, thus 'leringu :lie Wheels Where they contact With the ji 'rund seinen/hat closer to the eXtended axes vets 'i to thus malte steering easier.

n driving shaitl for each of Speciication of Letters Patent.

,rateeteaaan la. solo.

` the Wheels, and in thisforin ot the invention this shaft is-mounted in` a` bearing 19 Within thespindle and its outer end is squred as at 20 to t Within a similar opening in a disk 21, which is bolted or otherwise secured to a liange 22 onthe outer end` of the hub 23 of the Wheel 16. A cap 24 is secured over the end of the hub.

yThe inner portion' ct' the steering knuckle 13 is suhstantially in the form olf a cylindri cal casin or enlargement forming a nous lili lill

titi

ing 2.5, w ich coperates with the spherical end 26 of the main portion of the axle.

. Suitable bearings 27 are also provided in this portion oi the knuckle for the `pivotpin 14' above referred to.

As shown in4 this form of the invention,

the dierential 4gear support l2 is mounted in bearings/'28 in hips 29 extending from a.

cover 30 Which closes an opening 3l in the upper part of the casing 1l ot the axle, and it is driven by a worm 32 meshing with a Worm Wheel 33 secured to or forming a part of thetdii'erential gear support l2. lt 4vvill be understood' that the Worm. 33 is suitably connectedy With the motor of the vehicle lor driving it.

What is termed a ttm-gearl diferential mechanism is mounted in the support 12 and connected tothe shaft 18 for transmitting 'differentiated rotary motion. from the support to the Wheels. This did'erential or dii 'iii ferential mechanism comprises a. pair of' meshing gears 34, shafts 35, and universal joints 36. The gears V34: are shown as spur gears, and they are arranged at a slight angle'to the central, airis of the main part' of the axle 10 and tothe axis' of rotationol' the differential gear support 12. The shafts 35 are mounted in diagonal bearings 3T in the support 12, and at `their inner ende 'they are connected to the gears 34 and at their outer ends to the universal joints 33. shown, the axes oli the gears 3l, if extended, would pass through the centers of the universal joints. 36 inthe housings 25. ylhe shafts 35 are shown as diagonally arranged, being parallel to each other and oi'set.

It will be understood that the Worm 32 drives the diierential gear support l2 through the Worm Wheel 33, and said sup lll@ port 12 transmits its power to the shailts 18 c through the shafts 35 and universal joints V 36. The shafts i8 of ccnrse convey dles 15, and for the steering action of the knuckles 13. 'In this'connection, it will be understood that any suitable mechanism ma be used for steering the knuckles 13.

Fig.` 4 the solid supporting axle 10 has a steering knuckle 13 pivoted at either end each of the knuckles 13 is a Wheel 16 having a hub 27. Secured to the inner end of the hub 27 as'by` the bolts 38 is a spur gear 39,

with which meshes a pinion 40. Saidpinion is keyed to a short shaft 18 mounted in bearin s 42 in a casing or support 43 which is pre erablyA built-up in sections and rigidlyconnected to the steering lrnuckle 13 as at the flange 44. Said casing 43 also supports abrake/ mechanism 45, the operating shaft 46 of which has a universal joint 47 arranged below and in line with the pivot 14 above referred to, Thus, the brakes may be operated in 4whatever position the steerin knuckle 13\is turned.

The cgliiferential gear support 12 is mounted in bearings 28 in a casing 48, which is suitably supported above and upon the main supporting axle 10. Also, the support'l 12 has a driven bevel gear 49, which meshes with a driving pinion 49.connected to be driven by the vehicle motor.

The casing' 48 has laterally 'extending tubular portions 50, the outer ends of Which are supported by brackets '51 fromthe ysup.- porting axle 10,-and the extreme ends of saidportions 50 are formed with spherical parts 52, Which coperate with parts 53 of universal joint casings mounted on the support 43. The central point of each* of these spherical universal joint casings is arranged in line with its respective pivot pin 14 vso that the operation of the steering knuckles 13 about said pivots will not interfere with the continuity of the inclosing casing ex.-

tending from the differential gear support 12 to the short shaft 18.

Within the support 12 and the casings 48 i and 50 are diagonally arranged gears 34 and shafts 35 likethose shown in Fig. 1. The shaftsare mounted in similar bearings 37` and are connected to the short shafts 18 by universal joints 36 mounted'vvithin the universal joint casings. In this construction1 also, the universal joints 36 compensate for lthe angularity of the shafts 35, for the in` clination of the pivots 14 and spindles 15, and for the steering action of the knuc- -kles 13.

While but two embodiments of the invention are herein shown and described, it will ited to these embodiments nor .tothe detailsv of construction shown, and it will be apparent that changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis: n the form of the invention shown 1n 1. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a

supporting axle having pivoted steering,

knuckles, wheels mounted on said knuckles.v shafts connectedto drive said wheels respectively, and a two gear differential mechanism including universal joints connected to said shafts and arranged in line with the 'pivots of said knuckles.-

In a motor vehicle, Ein combination, a supporting axle havin inclined pivoted steering knuckles, whee s mounted on said knuckles, shafts connected to drive said wheels respectively, and a two gear differenti al mechanism including universal joints connected to` said shafts and arranged in line with the pivots of said knuckles.

3. In a vmotor vehicle, in combination, a supporting axle having pivoted steering knuckles, wheels mounted on said knuckles,

shafts connected to drive said wheels respectively, and a differential mechanism including parallel offset shafts geared together and universal joints connecting said parallel shafts to the wheel shafts and arranged in line with the pivots of said knuckles.

4. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a supporting axle having pivoted steering knuckles, wheels mounted on saidknuckles, a differential gear support, a pair of intermeshing gears mounted diagonally in said support, a universal joint arranged in line with the pivot of each of said steerin knuckles, shafts connecting said gears and joints respectively, and a driving connection from said joints to the respective. Wheels.

5. In. a motor vehicle, in combination, a

ysupporting axle having pivoted steering supporting axle having pivoted stceringknuckles, wheels mounted on said knuckles, a differential gear support, a pair of intermeshing gears mounted diagonally in said support, a universal joint arranged in line with the pivot of each of saidsteering knuckles, shafts connecting said gears and joints respectively, and a spur gear driving connection from said points to the respective Wheels.

menace 7. in al motor" vehicle, in combination, a'

tubular supporting axle havin Wheels mounted at its outer ends and having a central enlargement and enlargements at, its

ends immediately inside the Wheels', a ditv tral enlargement and enlargements at its4 ends immediately inside the Wheels, a difierentialgear support mounted vin the cenv trai enlargement, a two gear dierential mechanism carried by said support, and including universal joints in said end enlargements, and shafts connecting said joints with the Wheels.

9. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a supporting axle having pivoted steering knuckles, Wheels mounted on said knuckles, a-diHerential gear support mounted in said axle, means for driving said support, and means for transmitting diii'erentiated nuon tion from said support to said Wheels com prising diagonally arranged shafts geared together', outer shaft together and having universal joints in line with the pivots of saidknuckles.

l0. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a supporting axle having pivoted steering knuckles, Wheels mounted on said knuckles, a diiierential gear support mounted in said axle, means for driving said support, and means for transmitting diferentiatednio tion from said support tuV said 'Wheels prising inner shaft sections directly geared the pivots ci the knuckles and connecting' the inner and outer shaft sections.

11. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a supporting axle having a central portion and inclined end portions, Wheels mounted at the ends of said axle, a diierential gear support mounted to rotate in the central portion of the axle, a pair ot intermeshinggears mounted diagonally in said support, and universally jointed shaits 'extending from said gears to the respective Wheels, the universal` joints being arranged at the oints between the central and inclined. portions ci' the supporting axle.

ntestimony whereof l aix my signature.

intron risanare.

sections connected to the Wheels, and universal joints in ilne Witn.. 

